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Does sex belong in video games?

Tits and ass are incredibly prevalent in modern society. Sex is used to sell products in advertising, actors are shamefully primped into digitally crafted sex symbols and TV shows like Toddlers in Tiaras, stretch the definition of acceptable television viewing. Sex is everywhere, but oddly, not in our games.

With the recent pulling of No Reply Games' sex focused, interactive story 'game' “Seduce Me” from Valve's Greenlight service due to breaking of the terms and conditions – for being an “offensive” title – sex is back in the headlines of gaming websites the world over, all of them asking the question, “does sex belong in video games?”

It could be argued that games purely focused around sex are pornographic in nature and therefore warrant some sort of segmentation perhaps, in the way it is with websites and traditionally with stores that cater specifically to it.

But what about games that just feature sex as a feature or component of the overall experience?

Every time a popular title attempts to put anything sex like in its games that goes beyond a fade to black and some grunts, there's a problem. Look at GTA: San Andreas' Hot Coffee mod, or the blue side boob that appeared for a brief second in Mass Effect 2. It all gets blown out of proportion, people that haven't even played the game or seen footage of the event start screaming “save the children,” and to some it seems as if the world is going to end.

Of course it never does and children are as corrupted as their parents allow them to be. These games have age ratings for a reason and if parents choose to ignore them it's their responsibility to set it right, or at least explain things to their kids so they understand and learn about the adult activity in a constructive way.

But should it be there in the first place? Well the obvious answer would be yes, for a variety of reasons.

1: Taking into consideration the age ratings I mentioned earlier, the average gamer is in their 30s at this point. Not only have they had sex, they've been living with internet pornography for over 15 years. Believe me, unless you're doing a game adaptation of The Serbian Film, this is nothing we haven't seen before.

2: Unless it's Manhunt, where ritualistic killing was censored because... it's the game the lobby groups decided to go after, murder barely raises an eyebrow from anyone. Killing is rampant in games. Just look at the fast Paragon leveller in Diablo III. He's killed almost two million monsters alone. If he can commit mass murder, why can't a game have a sex scene in it?

3: Sex is a part of life. For anyone that doesn't know, it's how babies are made. Shocking I know, but we all began our life at a moment of parental coitus and society is slowly beginning to lose the taboo. It's still there – and enjoyed by many – but the simple fact is that sex shouldn't be considered a naughty thing any more. It's in films, in advertising, television and there is absolutely no reason it shouldn't be in our games.

However, despite these very obvious reasons that sex should be included in games and accepted by the public as a simple part of the artistic medium, the blame isn't entirely on the shoulders of complainers. Game developers could also help the cause out.

Despite the criticism for its leud content, Mass Effect actually has an incredibly impressive and deeply emotional erotic part to it but it is a rarity. More often than not, we get adventurers fucking hookers, or silly quick time sex games or button mashing to fuck harder. This isn't the type of thing that detractors of sexual content in gaming are going to agree with, probably ever.

No I'm not saying that because lobbyists and complainers have stale sex lives that games should be the same, but there isn't a reason that sex can't be used as an emotional connector between characters either.

Games focused around getting the clothes off of a digital woman should be just as allowed to exist in our gaming spheres as the latest AAA blockbuster, but they don't further the cause of sex in video games as much as they could.

Not only do I believe that sex deserves to be a part of gaming, I think it deserves to have more credit as a part of the emotional story within a game. It doesn't need to be your character just getting his rocks off, or a nudge-nudge-wink-wink from the developers saying “we know what you gamers want, digital titties,” but a real way for players to connect with a character.

We talked a few weeks about about how Lara Croft's surviving of an attempted rape could be used to delve into all sorts of new character emotions within a game. How about include a sex scene in that game not long after the rape and make it optional. Have it so that players can decide. If she goes along with it, perhaps Lara is emotionally distracted and merely trying to forget a horrific experience, thereby not building a relationship with the male counterpart. Perhaps if she says no, players can learn something about his character.

Sex is a massive motivator in human life and it should be used in games as well, not just as a treat or a laughable aside, but a real part of the gameplay. It can be part of the story and part of the world the developers create.

It doesn't always have to be, just as not every single racing game has to be a sim like experience, but just now and again I'd like to see some real effort put into sex.

As long as it's consensual, no harm done.
There is no excuse for depicting rape in a game (no, it does not develop your character or make him/her stronger. Real life rape is always traumatizing, never empowering), but if everybody involved is agreeing, just go for it.

A beautiful woman is not what the quote is talking about, really..... No one looks like the 16 year old models on the Covergirl commercials. Even beautiful women. A beautiful woman can be beautiful and at the same time in no way resemble any "woman" we use for gaming reference.
That being said, gratuitous sex in games is just awkward and clearly pandering to "overwhelmingly male" audiences. And let's not mention Japanese games along the lines of RapeLay..... Which are genuinely wrong, in my humble opinion.
It's only when women are in charge of what naked women you see on TV, or games, and in what context, that you MIGHT start to see meaningful sex. Sex should be a female issue, handled by women. The culture we have now is a great example of what happens when sex is handled by men.

I'm tired of people using RapeLay as an example, it was an underground game developed by a single person, not a large development studio. It was not meant to be public and does not at all reflect the general take Japanese society has on rape. Were the elements it consisted of morally wrong? Yes, but let me ask you this:
Would you rather have someone live out their desires vicariously through a video game, or would your rather have them go outside into the world and commit those acts themselves? I'm not condoning that games like RapeLay should be accessible by the general public, only that you should look a little deeper than the surface to see the good and the bad.
Have you played many erotica games? I'm guessing not, you would have a completely different outtake on how sex can be handled and used in games if you did.
As someone who actually does have experience playing many Japanese and non-Japanese games involving or consisting entirely of ****** elements, I can say that sex and rape can very well be used to build emotional attachment to characters, I can also say that men have the capability to provide meaningful levels of sex in their games, it is not particular to either gender but rather the individual creator. Unless you've actually gone out there and looked at these games, played them and critiqued them, keep your opinion to yourself.
And, instead of saying that a specific gender does one thing better than another gender why not promote that both genders can work in unison to bring out elements that appeal to both male and female audiences? Oh, wait, men can't be a part of the process can they? They'd just **** it up right? So much for equality.
Also, why the **** can't I separate my god **** paragraphs? Is this some mystical power that only article authors are allowed to use?

Considering your claim to have experience with japanese ****** games, I'm surprised at you saying RapeLay was by a single dude for the underground scene. It was made by Illusion, one of the biggest eroge production companies in Japan, and is actually the third of such games to be made by them.

We at Illusion have continually apologized for the trauma our product has caused. Rapelay was only intended to teach young japanese girls the dangers of using deserted shortcuts while walking at night. We are troubled that the game's original purpose has been unfortunately skewed by the media and have learned our lesson on trying to teach via video games.
Arigato

I've killed people in the games. I've shoot them, I've poked out their eyes, I've stepped on their heads till they bursted, I've ripped off their limbs, I ate their corpses, I spit/pee on their corpses, I've killed them even knowing that they have families and their reasons. It all was in games, covered in blood and guts and even sometimes with a pinch of humor. So why can't I have some sex in games as well? Rated 18 is for a reason.

A rating system has been put in place as now there are much more ***** gamers out there now and games being catered to them. just like a 10 yr old in a video store. and there are many ***** titles available to rent or buy so you wouldnt go and rent out faces of death for your children or blacks on blondes would you? The ratings are in place so you use them. i personally hope to see developers use the rating system to the full exstent! like differnt version of the same game etc. C, E, E10+,T,M,A were applicable.

If you don't want sex in your video games then don't buy that video game, if you don't want your kids to play games with sex...don't buy it for them. If your kid can use a computer, chances are he has already seen naked women or men. or you could always try talking to your children about sex...try being a good parent regardless of your religious beliefs.

The Victorian era ruined sex for everybody, **** prudish bastards. Look at history, the Romans, the greeks, hell look at what they pulled out of Pompeii (secret life of pornography doco highly recommend) sex was celebrated in the same way we celebrate our abilities to jump and dance or sing or any of the other amazing things we can do with our bodies, it didnt become dirty until a few hundred years ago,what all these freakin religious nuts dont understand is sex isnt dirty its not a bad secret thing that we must hide from, infact the only question that should ever be asked about sex regards consent and im pretty sure all video game characters consent to what they do. IF GOD DIDNT WANT US TO HAVE SEX IT WOULDNT BE ENJOYABLE. Religion is a method of control created by those who were not born into power, it is so freakin obvious I cant belive it still exists but I guess at least it keeps all the morons inline. To that person at the top with the freakin novel of a post... You suck... But also think about this, what you hold to be true you have been told by man and simply believe, what I hold to be true is drawn from logical conculsions made by using the mind god gave me, which makes more sense?

Untill Porn is banned from film. Porn should be allowed in games. Untill sex scenes are banned from TV, there should be sex scenes in games.
Can anyone give me one reason why 3D polygons created by people to look like sex is worse than the real thing?

its not a bad thing but should be an optional thing to do like go to the strip clubs in gta or any other game, it probably shouldnt run into the main game too much but be more like a side thing you can do.

if they do it like Mass Effect did, which in my opinion was a very tasteful way of doing it then why not? you don't see any "naughty" bits and its all clean except for the fact that sex is SUGGESTED and not seen except in the "before and after" segments. I mean for me that was an iffy part of the game.... but thinking about it, it actually added to the story line showing that Shepperd had a GF/BF/amphibious reptile monster thingy that he/she cared for due to the events that have happened in the game
However if its some gratuitous 18+ mini game fan service type thing where you see everything and control your "speed/force/ect/ect" like how I hear the GTA sex mini-game was then no.... no it shouldn't be in a game unless its clearly marked for 18 or older on the front of the case!
..................In turn I say, its all in presentation, don't throw a sex mini game in there to have a sex mini game..... don't show the act of it, but imply it, make it feal like that sex has a reason to be there, Mass Effect hit it spot on IMO, other then "me do good mini game... me gets moneys!" and definitely don't make it a major focus >_>

I am a devout christian, and I do believe that the Bible says that no sin is greater or lesser than any other. ALL SIN ends in death. Luckily for us, we have one man that died in our places thousands f years ago, so that our sins may be forgiven.

Dude your crazy did you know most parents let their kids play shooting games and all those ***** games?if a kid went to their favorite arcade and then went to his favorite shooting game and all of th sudden people are having sex and their parents come to get them,guess where that kids never going to again

"if a kid went to their favorite arcade and then went to his favorite shooting game and all of th sudden people are having sex and their parents come to get them,guess where that kids never going to again"
do you mean people in the arcade just randomly start bending each other over the game cabinets? or do you mean THE CHARACTERS IN THE GAME start having sex? if it's the latter argument, then are you saying you agree with the lobbyist groups that killing people is more acceptable than having sex with them? is that why the parents won't let him go back? "shoot as many soldiers as you want, honey, but DON'T **** the princess!!"
i'd like to approach your argument intelligently, but i can't find any intelligence to counter. what exactly are you trying to prove?

dude, use common sense, what do you think average means? not all but average. meaning variants on both ends so sure 12, 13, hell even 4, 5 , and 6 year olds, but also 50, 60, and 70. so average is just that around 30s

Playing Mass Effect Trilogy, i got my first sex scene/relationship kickoff.. and i actually felt idk how to say it but happy, like i was actually in a relationship with this character i felt attached to/like i knew her my whole life, but the moral of the story im trying to get at is, when an option came up to sleep with another character, i said no, because that paticular scene made me feel like i was really in a commited relationship with ashley, and i said no cause i felt like it would ACTUALLY hurt the characters feelings and it felt as though, id feel like an ******* for doing that to her, so this would be a good example of the topic as that sex scene made me actually feel for that character as if she was a real person, and it was that "romance scene" that really made it official, sounds stupid i know, but with a good game,with options like mass effect, you really do grow feelings for these ppl, and if they die, you get ****** and sad, if they get mad at you, you feel like a ****, and if sex is maturely put into video games, it can be a groundbreaking gamechanger as to how you feel about these characters, and as he said.. sex is an everyday part of life, the people that banned these games, most likely went home to there wives, and commited the same act they are taking a part in banning in the video game environment, i think people are being immature. you might as well say this game cant be made, i dont want to get cooties.
SPARE ME, grow up, open your eyes, and unplug your ears, and open up to the fact that sex is human nature, weve been doing it since the first recorded human civilization.. DEAL WITH IT

Dude you are absolutely right. I played through the Mass Effect trilogy also. Except, Ashley was the surviving teammate throughout till Mass Effect 3. Every decision I made she was against. I remember becoming so angry with her. Even though its a game, you just become so involved with these characters you build an emotional attachment. I remember the big argument midway through ME3 that decides wether she stays on the citadel or come back to the Normandy. I went the route that told her she wasn't welcome back. But I did tell her it was great she became a Specter(I think that's what it is). The decision making and conversation directions you can choose in Mass Effect are in my opinion the best in business of gaming.

when is the next A-O ***** Only game coming out for any kind of game counsel like Xbox or PlayStation? and yes I 100% support having sex in video games as I can never find a video game thats all about dating chicks and then having sex or a military game that has some brutal sex scenes. I want to play a game thats like seeing the movie hostle but with thee actual Blood Buts 'n Gore. a game that you can kill in many many ways and **** in many ways. I want to be able to behead someone and then drink his blood then cut open his body and eat the organs or **** a girl. whip her with a spike chain then cut her up and **** her. Thats what I really wanna do in a video game but non are hardcore. why? this question is to strike up a conversation. spread the word of my serious questions that actually need answers for

OK, first, let me start by saying that the author is 100% correct. There is a ratings system for a reason. If you CHOOSE to ignore those ratings and buy a Mature rated game for your underage child, then it is YOUR responsibility to deal with those consequences. The raising of your child is your own responsibility. More and more I see younger generations acting out in ways that would have gotten us, as children, a belt or tabasco/soap in the mouth to teach us that what we were doing was wrong and that there were repercussions to our actions. Am I against child abuse? YES, but there are some instances where a spanking is called for. Parents these days seem to be less focused on their children and more focused on their jobs, or gossip, etc. If you, as a parent, aren't comfortable with your child being exposed to certain things, then don't buy a game for them where those things are listed in the rating. Every game store I've been to warns the buyer of the content and gives them the option not to buy it. Why should the portion of the gaming community that actually IS mature and doesn't mind being exposed to these things be punished because of the fears of those who have no business raising a child in the first place? Society has grown too ignorant of the realities of life and the world. I grew up in the computer/gaming age. The time when the industry first got off the ground. In the time of the original DOOM and Wolfenstein and Super Nintendo. Everything was new, but there were still gore and sexual innuendos hidden that werent controversial at all. God forbid your child is exposed to sex in video games. If this was really the issue, then you'd be crying outrage at television, movies, and books. Why hasn't this happened? Because those are all "accepted" formes of artistic expression. What about paintings or drawings by many well-known artists? There's plenty of gore and sexual innuendo there. Hell, there's even a lot of nudity. But, wait, it's an "accepted" medium of expression. Why should video games be held to different standards?

It WILL happen. Ignorant parents and clueless customers shouldn't be surprised if this ends up in a "M" rated game. It states at the back of the game case: "Blood/Gore/Use of Drugs/Nudity/Extreme Violence etc". Don't like it? Don't by it. I can guarantee that we will be seeing it a lot more in the future, not too far from now. If it tells a story and helps people understand characters/scenarios etc then it has every right to be in a "M" rated game. The whole debate about this topic isn't even necessary. Grow up people. Especially you, ***** parents.

At the risk of breaking the internet, or the sky caving in, I am a British female gamer in my mid 30s. It is not my intention to offend the religious, or the bigoted, or those of delicate sensibility but I would like to say that I agree 100% with the author of this article. It has long been a frustration of mine (excuse the pun) that games aimed at adults, i.e. those rated 18+, are so prudish about sex. You can have blood, violence and death by the bucketload but would a glimpse of nipple really traumatise the masses? I accept that some people don't want to see sex in games, and like those who have already made such comments before me, I would implore you to simply avoid games which contain content that you are not comfortable with and stop trying to dictate to the rest of us what we should and shouldn't be allowed to see. The Mass Effect series and both Witcher games are some of my favourites and this is mainly because of the mature themes, the depth of story and my emotional engagement with the characters I was playing and those around them. In my honest opinion, the only thing that would have improved these games would be not to have my immersion broken by fading to black at any moment of intimacy. I am not afraid of my body nor of sexual imagery. In fact, I found the avoidance of the subject in Age of Conan particularly peculiar given the harsh and brutal setting. The world we live in can be a hard and cruel place and closing our eyes to this doesn't make it go away. Sex can be a beautiful and natural thing or it can be horrific and terrifying but it is a part of life and I would like to see this reflected in the games I choose to play, as it is in the books I choose to read or the films and television programs I choose to watch. I am an ***** and I would like to be treated as such. In closing, I would like to add that I am happy and healthy and in a long-term relationship with the love of my life, and I consider myself reasonably well-adjudsted.

Does sex belong in video games? Only softcore.
First off, this isn't the 1800's anymore. Views on sex and relationships has changed since then. Everything from simple fan service to hardcore porn is more commonplace. Some people say sex is sacred, but so are relationships - a sacred commitment, and yet people are divorcing left and right and remarrying to have sex with others like it's nothing. Since these things happen more frequently nowadays, I can't view sex as sacred as it used to be.
Today, visual sex appeal (male and female) is used to draw in an audience towards a particular type of interest - in this case, games. Gaming started off as being something mainly males enjoy. So what did developers do? They used a feature that appeals to males: sex. Throwing scantily-clad females in media isn't meant to disrespect females. It has been done with other male interests such as playboy, automobile/racing mags, FHM, Maxim, etc. However, unlike some magazines that'll forever only appeal to males, gaming is a neutral ground, having both male and female company. Because of the increase of female gamers, sex appeal in games now is becoming an issue.
Developers then decided to take the next step: actual sexual encounters between the characters. It's been done in other written media, why not games? If you're going to argue about sex being in games, then you may as well argue about sex being in books and movies as well. Games, books, and movies all have something in common - they all have a story to tell, and they all use sex as a feature to display the bond between love interests. Because of this reason alone, I think sex should be allowed in games, as a side feature - used to tell a story, because I see it as just another intimate factor such as kissing. However, I do believe the level of the sexual encounter needs to be limited. Ratings should be enforced and parental responsibilities should be exercised as well. Hardcore sex or too many sex scenes may ruin the gaming experience regardless of the rating. If I want to play a porn game, then I'll just do so. Softcore sex (nudity without genitals, partial nudity/undergarments, or even a silhouette) in games should be the max, and should only last long enough to get the point across.

Come on, MK games have had gore going beyond the reasonable and girls that might as well be naked with how scantily clad they are and how overblown the effects on their **** are. There's violence and gore rampant throughout games and sexual innuendo enough to make a person want to throw up, but sex is where we draw the line? What's the point of labeling a game mature if you're not going to treat the gaming audience as if they were mature? I like rpgs and a factor that is becoming more prominent in rpgs is romance with party members, and sex is part of that dynamic. The thing about these portions of video games is that they're optional. No one is forcing you to play this portion of the game, and there's always the option to skip the scene if you want to play through the romance but don't feel like watching a sex scene. I personally don't care about the sex scenes, but I do feel that the interactive romance aspect of rpgs is an amusing addition and that the cheesy alternatives that they have come up with are just ridiculously stupid, however if it falls to removing them entirely or including them in a more realistic manner I'd rather they include them in a more realistic manner.

Oh my God. Really? What is wrong with all of you liberal/left wing nuts? I am Seventeen, and my parents exposed me to movies with sex, drugs, and violence early on, coupled with sitting down and explaining to me what I heard/saw. Not just that but telling me why what was shown was wrong if it was, and then telling me the consequences of actions if I choose to replicate what ever it was I had viewed. Want to the know the punch line? I am in a stable four year long relationship. We don't make love, we don't have sex (And yes, there is a difference.), and that's because we know what could happen, not because we were told not too. I don't do drugs, never touched the stuff. I don't drink, and I don't believe in violence unless in self defence. And even then I was raised with martial arts training and so I believe in restraint. If you don't want your kid to see something then don't let them. If you don't want your kid to know something, don't let them. If you don't want them to hear somethin, your s*** out of luck. Its the parents responsibility to teach their children about the world and everything in it. And then furthermore, its your child's responsibility to behave like a decent human being. Life is full of choices, and NOTHING, except yourself, tells you what to do. And as a parent, you have to trust that you taught your child all you could, so they can make the right choices. And furthermore if you all want to know what is really wrong with the world? Zero Accountability. No one wants to be responsible for their own mistakes.

Don't make this as if this is nature. It isn't. It is not humane and no where near civilization. As a matter of fact, the thing is, the more civilized we are, the more we should learn to respect one another. That's the way to go. Sex and all those kinds of porn-ish stuff are dated back in caveman days. Women half naked or naked, men too, this is not the future. Games is games, sex is sex. You combine those two it is a conflict. It ruins the game's definition. It's not cool.
Maybe you're fine with all those, but your mindset is not. It is not making you to be normal as humane. Even if you don't do crack and drink, the others out there may not be same as you.

No.. Just no.
I agree with some of these people, sex is a private thing meant to be between two lovers. Depictation of sex these days in media and in real life are already out of whack. People think sex is the course of bonding between two friends or "Friends with benefits" and that it's a natural thing. Yes it's natural, yes it makes babies, yes it's a part of human life. Does it need to be shown to the world? No. You don't show people when you take a **** every few hours do you? You don't show your feces to other people do you? Oh but it's natural. Do you show people the genital herpes or such that you get to other people? No but it's natural. You got it "naturally" by the same **** thing you're trying to push into our games.
As stated above. No one wants to see it in public. You wanna watch people get their freak on, then go watch porn. There's hundreds of sites with free porn on them . Fan of hentai? They have that too.
But for god's sakes, I don't wanna see it in my games.
For those who complain about kids playing killing games but bash those about the sex games:
Killing games are one thing, and to be honest I wouldn't let my child play a Call of Duty-type game unless he or she were mature enough to play. The children playing these games usually have parents that don't care or irresponsible. But it all comes down to maturity.
As for sex games, that's a given, you simply don't show that to kids, or in public for that matter.
Let's be real here. The only people who want the sex in games just want it because they wanna get their rocks off while doing the other most favorite thing of their life, gaming. That's the average gamer these days, sex and gaming. Stop making excuses "Oh it's in media" "Oh it's artistic" "Oh it's BLAH BLAH" I don't give a ****. It's not artistic. What's artistic about sex? It's only in media because lust-filled dumbasses like you are putting it there.
So let me make myself clear for those who don't understand and have sex on the brain 24/7 and need a breakdown to comprehend this:
Sex is not artistic.
Sex should not be public, it's a bond between two lovers.
Games should be as it always was, a form of entertainment and amusement, not lustful satisfaction.
If you have urges, go ******* watch porn, or better yet, get off this computer, go find a girl, and do that. You probably do anyways (or probably half of you don't even have girlfriends/boyfriends). Get a life people god!

your argument seems to be less about sex in games and more about sex in general. sex and dealing with the emotions surrounding it are a big part of art because artists usually try to find a way to "help understand" or "make sense" or "recreate the emotional connection" not just to a partner but to the world around them. does it have to be gratuitous and NC-17-worthy? no. Dan In Real Life was a great movie that basically revolved around sex and sexual tension, but there was no graphic nudity, and it was sill a very powerful movie. so no-one should experience this movie because it's all about sex? artists shouldn't be allowed to talk about sex and process it in a way for the populous to manage themselves? in fact, should we even be talking about sex in public? war and murder is ok, we can talk about those, but sex? nonononono, WAAAAY too taboo. if your point is that there's too much sex used by the media to exploit weakness (usually to sell something--or run for president if you're Sarah Palin), then tell me something i don't know. if your point is that sex disgusts you in any form, and that creating a "work of art" in whatever medium to try and explain/articulate all the complex emotions behind it should not only NOT BE MADE but to have all the creative energy behind it REPRESSED, just because you "don't wanna see it", then quite frankly every artist on the planet is going to tell you to go **** yourself

I get what you're saying... but...
For example. In movies.
People say sex in unnecessary there too.
If Kyle Reese hadn't laid Sarah Connor, John Connor never would've been born and the machines would've won man! YOU WANT THE MACHINES TO WIN?
All joking aside. Take something like that, with all the weight, consequence, and everything and imagine it as a video game. Is it dirty? No. And how the hell are video games public? You keep saying sex is private. Excuse me while I go take my video game console, hook it up to the HD flat at McDonalds and play a rated mature game in front of everyone. I'll play the games I want in the PRIVACY of my own home. So shut up with your sex should be private rant. It is private. It's just ALSO talked about. Doesn't mean we're ******* on your front lawn. Jesus.
Not to mention you can CHOOSE which games you buy. You don't have to buy the ones that say "Stong Sexual Content" you tightwad. Just like you don't have see movies with sex in them. There are MPAA rating descriptors. Websites where you can find out specifics. ALSO sex in video games isn't about satisfying lustful urges (in the ones that matter), its about a fuller gaming immersive experience. Imagine going through life being told you can never have sex cause just no. I'm not saying ALL games need sex. But in the games where it's fitting, there is NO reason why not. The game in question also probably features graphic killing, probably cursing, and drug use. Please explain to me why a basic biological function has no place in a game, when you can slaughter an entire village of innocent people in the medieval game of your choice, and THATS okay. No problem there right?

There actually can be such a thing as artistic sex, or at least sex used for an artistic purpose. Literature has done this for centuries, classics such as the Faerie Queen or Canterbury Tales (The Miller's Tale in particular) have sections that are completely about sex and sexual imagery. If I was a better English major I could probably list hundreds of titles that use sex in their story. So, here's the question, why? Why do they do this? You stated the very reason yourself "it's a bond between two lovers" Sex should be, physically and emotionally, the closest you ever come to another human being. It is the most intimate and terrifying relationship you can have, it is also a cultural milestone, something people, especially men, need to experience. There is a reason virgin adults are mocked by our society, we see them as inadequate in some way. So if games are to reach the same standards as Literature and Film, if they are to invoke the same deep questions about what it means to be human, then shouldn't all options be available to them, and such a common and deep connection as sex is a powerful force for storytelling. It can be so much more than it is now and I think we could have truly revolutionary games if this was ever done perfectly

Wow in-between gross over-exaggeration and misinterpretation I am at a near loss for words. Going from sex in video games to feces, herpes, and "watching people get their freak on". Yes true it is a natural part of life and it would be wrong to say we need to hide it. If more people spoke about such topics then maybe herpes wouldn't be such an issue?
Yes one can say " I don't agree, rah, rah, rah." but than simply not purchase said product. As you said yourself you wouldn't let your child play Call of Duty than why would would that change with a game like Leisure Suit Larry? It should be all in the responsibility of the parent/guardian what is acceptable or not. There is a reason for the ESRB, right?
Why should we let a (mind you very loud) small group of people dictate what should be produced? It'd be like me saying foreign films should be produced cause " I don't want to Read a movie!". Highly selfish and sad view I'd say.
Just sick of all the cries for the children when the same standards (if not more lenient in movies, music, and t.v. than the average game rating) don't even get a mention. Hypocritical.

i too have reservations on having sex as part of games in general but as was stated before , it does help you see into a character like lara croft . If maybe she had it rough when she was younger growing up could it be perhaps something to that effect that made strong and clearly bad *** and cant touch this attitude. and no it does have to be 24/7 on the brain but hte fact is , is that no matter where you look today sex is public it is in the open world it is on billboards for all to see , in books and magazines , television , you name it it shows it in some way. Taking a walk down the street you come across younger and younger girls for instance wearing less and less clothes or completely revealing clothes, and as i had said before . It is everywhere . you speak not showing the world sex , that it should remain between lovers and so on but you cant change the way people think . Sex sells and that is the cold hard truth of life in society today. Personally I almost dont want to have children for the fact people are blind to fact they are worried about whats happening in video game (a work of fiction) than they are about for example , what you would see in music videos or movies that are pg13 but happen to express sex in a 18 and up way. So do i care about sex in games not really but you complain but you dont try to stop it in anyway so i say give it to them sex in games , why , cause you cant **** up the world anymore then it already is when it comes to sex . im ashamed of being part of a society that revolves around sex but no matter what the more they complain the more violent they will become with their desires. you cant change the world............. unfortunately .